


As Hasari, To Heal

by popcornscribbler



Category: Shades of Magic - V. E. Schwab
Genre: First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-11
Updated: 2016-05-11
Packaged: 2018-06-07 21:33:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6825196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/popcornscribbler/pseuds/popcornscribbler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kell hesitated, looking back at Rhy, and thought about how he was raised to protect him. An <i>Antari</i>, the ultimate guard for a prince, one who could heal and protect him from almost anything. <i>Almost</i>. He felt his fingers press a little more firmly against Rhy’s chest, against the mark, a reminder that Kell had nearly failed. <i>My life is his life. His life is mine</i>.</p><p>Set after the bar fight in the beginning of AGOS, Kell wakes in the night to feel pain through his and Rhy's bond.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As Hasari, To Heal

**Author's Note:**

> Soo I'm a little nervous about posting this, I haven't seen much Kell/Rhy stuff on here or tumblr and I'm not sure how people feel about the ship in general, but I just think they're really cute so uhh here we go

A sharp pain his Kell’s palm woke him from sleep. His eyes drifted open, memories of dark shadows lingering from his dreams as he rolled onto his back and brought his hand up to his face. The skin was unmarked, and he breathed out deeply, sleepily, and let his hand fall back onto soft sheets. The curtains to his balcony were still open, and outside he could see the faint red glow from the Isle illuminating the pathways either side of the river.

The sky was dark, littered with stars, and Kell took this as his cue that it was still too early to be awake, and let his eyes drift closed.

The pain in his palm sparked again, sharper than before, and he opened his eyes fully, assessing his hand once again before his sleep-addled mind caught up.

 _Rhy_.

He jumped from the bed, ignoring the ache in his body from restless sleep, and ran to the door. But he hesitated, hand hovering over the handle, before changing his mind and turning to the secret door that led to the passageway between his and Rhy’s rooms. 

The dark corridor sprung to light as he quickly passed through, as always, but Kell ignored the flickering flames, pushing himself through the door at the end of the tunnel.

“Rhy?” He said before he had fully passed through the entrance, eyes frantically searching the dark room. The passageway door closed behind him, sealing off the slither of light it had gave, bathing the room into greater darkness. “Rhy? Are you all right?”

He flicked his thumb, a small flame flickering into existence, as he heard a shuffle from across the room.

“Kell? Yeah, I’m fine,” Rhy muttered. Kell brought his hand to the source of Rhy’s voice to find him on the floor, cradling his hand. Kell flicked his hand again and the small flame disappeared, only to reappear inside a glass lantern placed at the other side of Rhy’s bed. The room lit with a steady orange glow, and Kell saw an identical lantern smashed by Rhy’s feet.

“Come here,” Kell said, grabbing Rhy’s upper arm and pulling him to his feet. “Your hand-”

“It’s nothing,” Rhy said, pulling his hand away and sighing quietly. Rhy was shirtless, only wearing pale cotton trousers, and the light from the lantern gently highlighted the silver of the scar on his chest, right above his heart.

Kell tore his eyes away from the mark and frowned. He focused on the shards of glass littering the floor and within a second they had been swept to the side of the room by a gentle breeze, settling in a neat pile. Rhy glanced at the result and opened his mouth as if to speak, but then closed it with a small shake of his head. Kell thought it seemed fond.

“I’m fine, really,” Rhy said, walking over to the side of his bed and perching on the edge. “I dropped the lantern and cut my hand, I think I was still half asleep.” He chuckled lightly, but then winced as he inspected his palm. 

Kell sighed and sat down next to him, pulling Rhy’s palm towards him. There was a small glass shard still inside the cut, and Kell gently pulled it out.

“You don’t have to heal it,” Rhy said, but there was no edge to his voice and no attempt at objection as Kell cut a small line into his palm with the glass and pressed it over Rhy’s wound. 

“ _As Hasari_.” _To heal._

Kell gently removed his hand to see Rhy’s skin slowly mending back together, and sat back with small relief as he felt his own cut heal.

“Thanks,” Rhy muttered, rubbing a thumb over his newly healed palm.

They sat in silence for a while, before Rhy began to shift slightly in his seat.

“What is it?” Kell asked, looking up at him. Rhy’s gold eyes briefly looked up at his, before casting back down.

“I wanted to apologise. Properly. For the other day.” Rhy scratched the side of his face quickly, before dropping his hand. “I shouldn’t have started that fight. It was pointless, and I know you feel my pain, I just…”. Rhy sighed and rubbed his face with both hands.

“It’s okay.”

Rhy pulled his hands down from his face and shifted slightly, turning his body to face Kell. “It’s not. I shouldn’t have done it, and I’m sorry. I… I can’t stop thinking, of this.” He gestured to the mark on his chest, and Kell tried his best not to let his eyes drift down, to instead keep Rhy’s eye contact. “Did it hurt you? When you did this?”

Kell’s brief idea of lying was squashed at the look Rhy levelled at him. He couldn’t lie to Rhy. He would know.

“Yes.”

Rhy’s shoulders slumped slightly, his expression somewhat hurt, but Kell knew he must have already suspected the answer to that question. It couldn’t have come as a surprise.

Feeling bold, Kell reached out and placed his hand against the mark. “And I’d do it again. Forever. Whatever it takes to keep you safe.” Rhy’s eyes widened slightly, the lantern’s light making his gold eyes shine.

Rhy reached up and placed his hand gently, slowly, over Kell’s, holding his hand to his chest. Kell felt his pulse quicken and wondered if Rhy could feel it too.

“It’s not fair, how many times you have had to bleed for me, to protect me, to heal me.”

Kell smiled slightly. “It’s my job.”

Rhy continued to stare at him, the room quiet and the flickering flame casting shadows over his face. “You’re not my brother, Kell. Not really.”

Kell hesitated, looking back at Rhy, and thought about how he was raised to protect him. An _Antari_ , the ultimate guard for a prince, one who could heal and protect him from almost anything. _Almost_. He felt his fingers press a little more firmly against Rhy’s chest, against the mark, a reminder that Kell had nearly failed. _My life is his life. His life is mine_.

“No, I’m not.” Kell said slowly.

Rhy opened his mouth slightly, as if to speak, but then moved forwards, and pressed his mouth to Kell’s.

His lips were soft as he kissed him, gentle and chaste. Kell was frozen for a moment, before he pushed gently back, moving his lips against Rhy’s. Rhy let out a low breath, one he seemed to have been holding, before moving closer and pushing harder against Kell’s mouth. Kell moved his hand from Rhy’s chest and brought it up against his cheek. He brought up his other hand and thread it gently through Rhy’s hair, the soft brushed curls letting his fingers slip through.

After a moment, Kell pulled away, letting his forehead rest against Rhy’s, his eyes still shut. He felt Rhy’s warm breath on his lips, ghosting over them, slightly damp.

It must still be late. Kell moved his hand from Rhy’s hair and rested it against his cheek, now holding his face in both hands. “I should…”

“Stay,” Rhy said, resting his hand on the crux of Kell’s elbow. “Stay with me, for a while. Please.”

Kell opened his eyes and looked into Rhy’s, already open, golden and earnest, and Kell knew he couldn’t say no.

“Okay.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'd love to hear your thoughts :) I'm also on [tumblr](http://www.jimtrashkirk.tumblr.com)


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